Well I. Had a real bad experience with a lever evolution 140 gr I fell for the hype,,,,,I truly know better,,,,,I study the reload books I'm ok with the math that goes with it ,,,,,I've read Elmer Kieth ,,,,but The hornady just kept me going back to it.....that ammo is laser beam accurate! ,,,,,now comes deer season and a nice six point comes in at 40 yards,,,,,I was as calm as I could be,,,,,,,as some of you I'm wound up most of the time but not this time,,,I have this rifle mapped to 100 yards no need for longer here ',,,,I pull the trigger expecting show over right there,,,,,,,,nope,,,,he ran off I heard movement off a Maybe couple hundreds yards away so I took my sweet time getting on the trail 20min? I knew I had a long drag,,,,,,,,,,I get to the trail ,,,little hair no blood,,,,,,,,,clear trail in the leaves,,I marked the trail no blood,,,,,400 yard away I find blood high on trees just a drop or two on the ground I tracked this deer for a long way! My second lost deer I feel awful I can't stand that feeling!! I feel I did my job that ammo did not !!! I've seen a .357 pistol take deer at longer distance than that many times my buddy (retired cop) did it all the time ! I know if that was my .45lc ruger ,,,I'd have 100# s of cube steak!! ,,,,,,,,,this is making me sick ,,,,,,I'm asking what the hell happened And how do I prevent this,,,? Is this rifle too marginal? What are good loads to use I have dies ,,,,any info will be well come,,,,,thanks had to get this off my chest JeffW

Most .357 handgun bullets don't perform well when pushed at higher velocities from a rifle barrel. My daughter in law hunts with a .357 rifle and we did have her shooting the flex tip loads but have switched her over to a heavy load shooting 158 grain jacketed soft points. It is a tougher bullet, expands well at rifle velocities and holds together to push on through for penetration.

You can tell a lot about a woman's mood just by her hands. If they are holding a gun, she's probably angry.

Over 30 years ago I got pretty good with my Dan Wesson 357 magnum.. My cousin challenged me to kill a buck with it. I shot a 3 point facing me at 15 yards in the chest with a 158 grain hollow point. Dropped him right there. I shot a 80 lb hog high lungs at 20 yards.. she ran about 40 yards. The 357 with 158 grain jacketed hollow points did a good job but my shots were very close.

I have exactly two experiences with the .357 and deer, both out of handguns....one a 158grn XTP on a quartering to deer at 15yds....deer ran away and never seen again. Two a 180grn jhp broadside at 20yds...deer dies 35yds away in a few seconds.I guess my point is if you hit the perfect they'll die quick.....off a bit and there's not much room for goof ups....I would have thought a rifle would do better??

I have zero "on-game" experience with the all copper Barnes VorTx 140grn but it shoots good and hear good things about it out of a rifle. Carry it in my "truck" revolver.....for whatever needs a hole in it

"My goal in life is to try NOT to screw up so bad that they name the screw up after me...""Nothing better than a campfire, cold beer and piles of dangerously undercooked meat..."